5/15/12

To me, this looks like picture of a drive through church; you know, the place where Christians assemble to worship God. I say that because of the spire at the front and also because of the numerous places to dock. Even if I am right about this (and I may not be), it seems odd to meet here. But, then again, the first time I heard about a drive through church (for cars) that seemed strange too. Just to be clear, when I see the word "church", I THINK OF THE ASSEMBLY OF PEOPLE, NOT THE BUILDING!!! So, one of the reasons why I use the World English Bible is its consistent translation of the Greek, ekklesia to the English word ASSEMBLY. Most of the New Testament books open with a greeting to a group of people and here is one such example...

1st Corinthians Chapter 1

1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 2 to the assembly of God which is at Corinth; those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, both theirs and ours: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I imagine that to many of you this is much to do about nothing. However, Christianity is made up of people; buildings came much, much later. Centuries, in fact. Please do not misunderstand; I like to worship in pleasant surroundings, but those plain enough so as not to detract from why we meet. Still, its fun to think about meeting places that are out-of-the-ordinary and this one sure does fill that bill!!!

Jos
11:1 It happened, when Jabin king of Hazor heard of it, that he sent
to Jobab king of Madon, to the king of Shimron, to the king of
Achshaph,

Jos
11:2 and to the kings who were on the north, in the hill country, in
the Arabah south of Chinneroth, in the lowland, and in the heights of
Dor on the west,

Jos
11:3 to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and the Amorite,
and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the hill
country, and the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpah.

Jos
11:4 They went out, they and all their armies with them, many
people, even as the sand that is on the seashore in multitude, with
very many horses and chariots.

Jos
11:5 All these kings met together; and they came and encamped
together at the waters of Merom, to fight with Israel.

Jos
11:6 Yahweh said to Joshua, "Don't be afraid because of them;
for tomorrow at this time, I will deliver them up all slain before
Israel. You shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with
fire."

Jos
11:7 So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against
them by the waters of Merom suddenly, and fell on them.

Jos
11:8 Yahweh delivered them into the hand of Israel, and they struck
them, and chased them to great Sidon, and to Misrephoth Maim, and to
the valley of Mizpeh eastward. They struck them until they left them
none remaining.

Jos
11:9 Joshua did to them as Yahweh told him. He hamstrung their
horses and burnt their chariots with fire.

Jos
11:10 Joshua turned back at that time, and took Hazor, and struck
its king with the sword: for Hazor used to be the head of all those
kingdoms.

Jos
11:11 They struck all the souls who were in it with the edge of the
sword, utterly destroying them. There was no one left who breathed.
He burnt Hazor with fire.

Jos
11:12 Joshua captured all the cities of those kings, with their
kings, and he struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly
destroyed them; as Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded.

Jos
11:13 But as for the cities that stood on their mounds, Israel
burned none of them, except Hazor only. Joshua burned that.

Jos
11:14 The children of Israel took all the spoil of these cities,
with the livestock, as spoils for themselves; but every man they
struck with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them.
They didn't leave any who breathed.

Jos
11:15 As Yahweh commanded Moses his servant, so Moses commanded
Joshua. Joshua did so. He left nothing undone of all that Yahweh
commanded Moses.

Jos
11:16 So Joshua captured all that land, the hill country, all the
South, all the land of Goshen, the lowland, the Arabah, the hill
country of Israel, and the lowland of the same;

Jos
11:17 from Mount Halak, that goes up to Seir, even to Baal Gad in
the valley of Lebanon under Mount Hermon. He took all their kings,
struck them, and put them to death.

Jos
11:18 Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.

Jos
11:19 There was not a city that made peace with the children of
Israel, except the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon. They took all
in battle.

Jos
11:20 For it was of Yahweh to harden their hearts, to come against
Israel in battle, that he might utterly destroy them, that they might
have no favor, but that he might destroy them, as Yahweh commanded
Moses.

Jos
11:21 Joshua came at that time, and cut off the Anakim from the hill
country, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the hill
country of Judah, and from all the hill country of Israel: Joshua
utterly destroyed them with their cities.

Jos
11:22 There were none of the Anakim left in the land of the children
of Israel. Only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, did some remain.

Jos
11:23 So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that Yahweh
spoke to Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel
according to their divisions by their tribes. The land had rest from
war.

Jos
12:1 Now these are the kings of the land, whom the children of
Israel struck, and possessed their land beyond the Jordan toward the
sunrise, from the valley of the Arnon to Mount Hermon, and all the
Arabah eastward:

Jos
12:2 Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and ruled
from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the
middle of the valley, and half Gilead, even to the river Jabbok, the
border of the children of Ammon;

Jos
12:3 and the Arabah to the sea of Chinneroth, eastward, and to the
sea of the Arabah, even the Salt Sea, eastward, the way to Beth
Jeshimoth; and on the south, under the slopes of Pisgah:

Jos
12:4 and the border of Og king of Bashan, of the remnant of the
Rephaim, who lived at Ashtaroth and at Edrei,

Jos
12:5 and ruled in Mount Hermon, and in Salecah, and in all Bashan,
to the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and half Gilead,
the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.

Jos
12:6 Moses the servant of Yahweh and the children of Israel struck
them. Moses the servant of Yahweh gave it for a possession to the
Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.

Jos
12:7 These are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the children of
Israel struck beyond the Jordan westward, from Baal Gad in the valley
of Lebanon even to Mount Halak, that goes up to Seir. Joshua gave it
to the tribes of Israel for a possession according to their
divisions;

Jos
12:8 in the hill country, and in the lowland, and in the Arabah, and
in the slopes, and in the wilderness, and in the South; the Hittite,
the Amorite, and the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the
Jebusite:

Jos
12:9 the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside
Bethel, one;

Jos
12:10 the king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one;

Jos
12:11 the king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one;

Jos
12:12 the king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one;

Jos
12:13 the king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one;

Jos
12:14 the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;

Jos
12:15 the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;

Jos
12:16 the king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one;

Jos
12:17 the king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one;

Jos
12:18 the king of Aphek, one; the king of Lassharon, one;

Jos
12:19 the king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one;

Jos
12:20 the king of Shimron Meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;

Jos
12:21 the king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one;

Jos
12:22 the king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam in Carmel, one;

Jos
12:23 the king of Dor in the height of Dor, one; the king of Goiim
in Gilgal, one;

"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW"
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Prevented by law from carrying out execution, the religious leaders sent
Jesus to Pilate who condemned Him to be crucified (1-2,10-31).
Meanwhile, Judas returned the betrayal money and hanged himself (3-9).
Crucified along with two thieves, Jesus expired after six hours (32-56).
His body was buried in Joseph’s tomb, secured by Roman guards (57-66).
POINTS TO PONDER
* The events leading to the crucifixion
* The abuse Jesus suffered prior to His actual death
REVIEW QUESTIONS1) What are the main points of this chapter?
- Jesus before Pilate and his soldiers - Mt 27:1-2,10-31
- Judas hangs himself - Mt 27:3-9
- Jesus’ crucifixion and death - Mt 27:32-56
- Jesus buried and tomb secured - Mt 27:57-662) What did Judas do when he realized Jesus was condemned? (3-5)
- Returned the betrayal money and then hanged himself
3) What did Jesus confess to Pilate? (11)
- He was the King of the Jews
4) Who was released instead of Jesus? (15-26)
- Barabbas, a notorious prisoner
5) What abuse did the Roman soldiers inflict on Jesus? (26,28-31)
- Scourged, stripped, crowned with thorns, mocked, spat upon, struck
with a reed
6) Who helped bear Jesus’ cross? Where was Jesus crucified? (32-33)
- Simon of Cyrene; Golgotha (Place of a Skull)
7) Who blasphemed and mocked Jesus as He hung on the cross? (39)
- Those who passed by, including the chief priests, elders, and
scribes
8) What did the guards confess after seeing the events following Jesus’
death? (54)
- "Truly this was the Son of God!"
9) Where was Jesus buried? Who saw where He was buried? (57-61)
- In Joseph’s tomb; Mary Magdalene and the "other" Mary (cf. Mt
27:56)
10) Why was a Roman guard placed at the tomb of Jesus? (62-66)
- To prevent the disciples from stealing the body and saying He rose
from the dead